*Spoiler alert for Chapter 11: Lost
Slight change of plans
Dang. As I approached this blog post, I realized that I don't really have songs for the next three chapters!
*Gasp*
It's okay...our soundtrack ends on such a strong note, I can live with this gap. I'll be thinking about songs I might have missed for these chapters though. I don't quit easily, and this is just how my brain works.
Also, these are, I think, three of the strongest chapters in the book. As I reread and edited the book, there was quite a bit I had to clean up and change in the first half. I didn't have nearly as much to modify by this point in the story.
As a new writer, this makes sense, because by this point in the book, I have settled-in on the voice of the narrator, the style of the storytelling, and the characterization. If one doesn't have these things figured out by chapter 11 of a story, it's probably time to stop and rethink some things!
In any case, this stretch of chapters is a fun part of the story where the reader gets to see the same situation from two different points of view: Dustin's and Damon's. I knew I would use this storytelling device in parts of the book, and it is largely why I chose to use third person omniscient for narration.
Credit to my high school English teachers (Mr. McGarrity, Mr. Furnas, and Ms. Kellis) that I even remember those terms and what they mean!
Lost
Were you ever lost when you were a kid? Get separated from your parents or older sibling while at the store, or in a museum? I remember what this felt like. And, as a parent, I know how rough this can be on the adults in the situation.
I remember being lost in the Smithsonian museum in Washington DC. I was maybe only 6 at the time, but I am pretty sure I got separated from my family, and had to ask a security guard for help.
I also remember losing my mom in a Gottschalks one time (remember that department store, California people?).
I just remember instantaneous panic. In both cases it was very brief, but to a child, minutes can feel like a lifetime. And the fact that the Washington DC trip was like 35 years ago, but I still remember? That tells you something about the impact this has on a kid.
I think for Damon, in this story, his concern was more about getting in trouble. He knew where he was, and how to get home, so no major panic. But I also wanted to demonstrate how safe Hope makes him feel. So comfortable that he would fall asleep in an abandoned junkyard.
Short & Sweet
Well, that's it for this week. No songs, and not much to delve into as far as influences on the story.
One update I'll provide is I am having to delay any book-signing events due to the pandemic spiking again. This is obviously a bummer, but we've got to keep each other safe! Boy, someday it will be weird to come back and read this and see references to the pandemic.
Until next time, see you at the movies.
Soundtrack (thus far):
Bonus Track: Interstate Love Song - Stone Temple Pilots
Bonus Track: Rockin' Chair - Oasis
Bonus Track: Happy - The Tories
Bonus Track: Song for You - Fuel
Follow as we build the soundtrack on Spotify!